Legal & Ethical Considerations

There are a lot of legal and ethical considerations that photographer's have to consider throughout their careers to produce their photography. There are a lot of laws that a photographer has to be aware of and may easily come into conflict with if not the properly versed with up to date laws that apply to a photographer
Listed below are the subjects that may be of concern and may affect how a photographer goes about his or hers everyday work

Law of trespass

This has to be taken into consideration. Photographer's have to be careful they remain on public land and public places in pursuit of their images,it's very easy to stray onto private land and private property which could result in prosecution
Shopping centres for example can be considered as private places and the owners have the right to expel a photographer taking images on their properties

Shown below is an extract from a website I have researched on the Internet which I find is a really good guide for a photographer which outlines all the major laws and photographers rights

http://www.how2fundraise.org/OneStopCMS/Core/CrawlerResourceServer.aspx?resource=D9C09F0D-16DB-4F20-92DA-CA8B1FE90462&mode=link&guid=41c98c36a1c54e1283d1b27391e36803


Obsenity law

Law established by the Obscene Publications Act of 1959 prohibiting the publishing of any material that tends to deprave or corrupt. In Britain, obscene material can be for example pornographic or violent, or can encourage drug taking.There is a defence in support of the public good if the defendant can produce expert evidence to show that publication was in the interest of, for example, art, science, or literature.

Copyright

A copyright basically allows the author of a photograph (the person who took it) control over how that picture is copied, transmitted and reproduced. Copyright issues have become more commonplace since the birth of both digital cameras and the internet because people now have far more freedom and flexibility when they share images, and it is all too easy to copy or post an image that you do not own

People may be unaware of copyright laws on the internet. When they reproduce an image in digital form and copy it many times without consent of the person who took the original image they are actually breaking this law

Copyright law is there to protect your images and prevent you taking credit for other peoples work.


Health and safety at work act
All workers have a right to work in places where risks to their health and safety are properly controlled. Health and safety is about stopping you getting hurt at work or becoming ill caused by your working environment. Your employer is responsible for health and safety, but the employee is also resposible must follow giudelines set out by this act

The main piece of legislation is the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HSWA). All work places are covered by this legislation which says that an employer must do everything reasonably practicable to provide a safe and healthy workplace with adequate welfare facilities. HSWA has been supported and extended by various sets of regulations, codes of practice and guidance, all of which deal with various aspects of health and safety. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the government body which decides upon and implements health and safety policy.

Please see a more detailed Health and safety document I have compiled on blog "Health and Safety Considerations" (Unit 205)

Photography of children or Minors

IIt is important to note that there is no law against photographing children. You are perfectly within your rights to take a photograph of a child. Ridiculous stories are common of parents being told to put their cameras away at dance competitions or swimming pools.

There are some common sense guidelines that you should keep in the forefront of your mind when photographing children. The first of these is that, where possible, you should always seek approval from a parent or guardian before you begin shooting. This is particularly important if you are doing street photography. Photographing children in public places can be controversial and is also a sensitive issue,permission should be granted first and with this in mind no real problems are encountered

If in any doubt, I would suggest when taking photo's of minor's always make sure that the parents are present when the photography takes place. I would then show all images to the parents and ask for their approval before the images are processed or printed


Contract Law

A contract intends to formalize an agreement between two or more parties, in relation to a particular subject. Contracts can cover an extremely broad range of matters, including the sale of goods,property,services etc

In order to be valid, the parties to a contract must exchange something of value. In the case of the sale of the photographs, the buyer receives something of value in the form of the photographs and the photographers services, and the seller receives money for these services and the images

There must be an offer and this must be accepted to make an agreement. While this would in the first instance appear to be self explanatory, it is important to distinguish between what the law says amounts to a valid offer. An offer can be made orally, in writing or by way of conduct.

Contract: the elements of a contract

The first step in a contract question is always to make sure that a contract actually exists. There are certain elements that must be present for a legally binding contract to be in place.

Shown below are the two most common elements of a contract

• An offer: an expression of willingness to contract on a specific set of terms, made by the offeror with the intention that, if the offer is accepted, he or she will be bound by a contract.

• Acceptance: an expression of absolute and unconditional agreement to all the terms set out in the offer. It can be oral or in writing. The acceptance must exactly mirror the original offer made.

Disability Discrimination

Consideration must be given to people with disabilities so we all have the same equal opportunities. The photographer may need to go to extreme lengths to provide resources and to accommodate people with disabilities but equal opportunities must be of paramount importance

The Disability Discrimination Act makes it unlawful for a service provider to discriminate against a disabled person by refusing to provide any service which it provides to other members of the public

Extra provision may be needed to enable a disabled person to fulfill their every day lives and this may come at quite some considerable cost

It may be necessary to have another person available to help with people with disabilities. They may need to be lifted,guided or helped in a variety of situations to carry out their everyday duties that an able person may take for granted

A studio may need to be kitted out to meet the requirements of a disabled person and a variety of different aids may need to be put in place to accommodate this. Wider doors,lower sinks,ramps and larger toilets are all a major consideration to provide proper equal services for everybody

Similar considerations have to be taken into account when shooting on location or outdoors which maybe an even harder challenge for the photographer to complete if additional resources are needed to accommodate someone with a disability

Handling Confidential Information

Care should be taken when handling other peoples information. This information is very personal and confidential including banking details etc.. The photographer needs to protect this data and care must be taken if this data is stored on pc's etc.. There are laws governing the storage of personal data, this is called "the data protection act" The DPA was first composed in 1984 and was updated in 1998.Shown below are the basic principles of this law

The Eight Data Protection Act Principles

The act contains eight “Data Protection Principles”. These specify that personal data must be:

1. Processed fairly and lawfully.

2. Obtained for specified and lawful purposes.

3. Adequate, relevant and not excessive.

4. Accurate and up to date.

5. Not kept any longer than necessary.

6. Processed in accordance with the “data subject’s” (the individual’s) rights.

7. Securely kept.

8. Not transferred to any other country without adequate protection in situ.

There are a lot of legal and ethical considerations that photographer's have to consider throughout their careers to produce their photography. There are a lot of laws that a photographer has to be aware of and may easily come into conflict with if not properly versed with up to date laws that apply to a photographer
Listed below are the subjects that may be of concern and may affect how a photographer goes about his or hers everyday work

Law of trespass

This has to be taken into consideration. Photographer's have to be careful they remain on public land and public places in pursuit of their images,it's very easy to stray onto private land and private property which could result in prosecution
Shopping centres for example can be considered as private places and the owners have the right to expel a photographer taking images on their properties

Shown below is an extract from a website I have researched on the Internet which I find is a really good guide for a photographer which outlines all the major laws and photographers rights

http://www.how2fundraise.org/OneStopCMS/Core/CrawlerResourceServer.aspx?resource=D9C09F0D-16DB-4F20-92DA-CA8B1FE90462&mode=link&guid=41c98c36a1c54e1283d1b27391e36803


Obsenity law

Law established by the Obscene Publications Act of 1959 prohibiting the publishing of any material that tends to deprave or corrupt. In Britain, obscene material can be for example pornographic or violent, or can encourage drug taking.There is a defence in support of the public good if the defendant can produce expert evidence to show that publication was in the interest of, for example, art, science, or literature.

Copyright

A copyright basically allows the author of a photograph (the person who took it) control over how that picture is copied, transmitted and reproduced. Copyright issues have become more commonplace since the birth of both digital cameras and the internet because people now have far more freedom and flexibility when they share images, and it is all too easy to copy or post an image that you do not own

People may be unaware of copyright laws on the internet. When they reproduce an image in digital form and copy it many times without consent of the person who took the original image they are actually breaking this law

Copyright law is there to protect your images and prevent you taking credit for other peoples work.


Health and safety at work act
All workers have a right to work in places where risks to their health and safety are properly controlled. Health and safety is about stopping you getting hurt at work or becoming ill caused by your working environment. Your employer is responsible for health and safety, but the employee is also resposible must follow giudelines set out by this act

The main piece of legislation is the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HSWA). All work places are covered by this legislation which says that an employer must do everything reasonably practicable to provide a safe and healthy workplace with adequate welfare facilities. HSWA has been supported and extended by various sets of regulations, codes of practice and guidance, all of which deal with various aspects of health and safety. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the government body which decides upon and implements health and safety policy.

Please see a more detailed Health and safety document I have compiled on blog "Health and Safety Considerations" (Unit 205)

Photography of children or Minors

IIt is important to note that there is no law against photographing children. You are perfectly within your rights to take a photograph of a child. Ridiculous stories are common of parents being told to put their cameras away at dance competitions or swimming pools.

There are some common sense guidelines that you should keep in the forefront of your mind when photographing children. The first of these is that, where possible, you should always seek approval from a parent or guardian before you begin shooting. This is particularly important if you are doing street photography. Photographing children in public places can be controversial and is also a sensitive issue,permission should be granted first and with this in mind no real problems are encountered

If in any doubt, I would suggest when taking photo's of minor's always make sure that the parents are present when the photography takes place. I would then show all images to the parents and ask for their approval before the images are processed or printed


Contract Law

A contract intends to formalize an agreement between two or more parties, in relation to a particular subject. Contracts can cover an extremely broad range of matters, including the sale of goods,property,services etc

In order to be valid, the parties to a contract must exchange something of value. In the case of the sale of the photographs, the buyer receives something of value in the form of the photographs and the photographers services, and the seller receives money for these services and the images

There must be an offer and this must be accepted to make an agreement. While this would in the first instance appear to be self explanatory, it is important to distinguish between what the law says amounts to a valid offer. An offer can be made orally, in writing or by way of conduct.

Contract: the elements of a contract

The first step in a contract question is always to make sure that a contract actually exists. There are certain elements that must be present for a legally binding contract to be in place.

Shown below are the two most common elements of a contract

• An offer: an expression of willingness to contract on a specific set of terms, made by the offeror with the intention that, if the offer is accepted, he or she will be bound by a contract.

• Acceptance: an expression of absolute and unconditional agreement to all the terms set out in the offer. It can be oral or in writing. The acceptance must exactly mirror the original offer made.

Disability Discrimination

Consideration must be given to people with disabilities so we all have the same equal opportunities. The photographer may need to go to extreme lengths to provide resources and to accommodate people with disabilities but equal opportunities must be of paramount importance

The Disability Discrimination Act makes it unlawful for a service provider to discriminate against a disabled person by refusing to provide any service which it provides to other members of the public

Extra provision may be needed to enable a disabled person to fulfill their every day lives and this may come at quite some considerable cost

It may be necessary to have another person available to help with people with disabilities. They may need to be lifted,guided or helped in a variety of situations to carry out their everyday duties that an able person may take for granted

A studio may need to be kitted out to meet the requirements of a disabled person and a variety of different aids may need to be put in place to accommodate this. Wider doors,lower sinks,ramps and larger toilets are all a major consideration to provide proper equal services for everybody

Similar considerations have to be taken into account when shooting on location or outdoors which maybe an even harder challenge for the photographer to complete if additional resources are needed to accommodate someone with a disability

Handling Confidential Information

Care should be taken when handling other peoples information. This information is very personal and confidential including banking details etc.. The photographer needs to protect this data and care must be taken if this data is stored on pc's etc.. There are laws governing the storage of personal data, this is called "the data protection act" The DPA was first composed in 1984 and was updated in 1998.Shown below are the basic principles of this law

The Eight Data Protection Act Principles

The act contains eight “Data Protection Principles”. These specify that personal data must be:

1. Processed fairly and lawfully.

2. Obtained for specified and lawful purposes.

3. Adequate, relevant and not excessive.

4. Accurate and up to date.

5. Not kept any longer than necessary.

6. Processed in accordance with the “data subject’s” (the individual’s) rights.

7. Securely kept.

8. Not transferred to any other country without adequate protection in situ.

Copyright

Copyright and Photography

©


We are now photographing many weddings and we have to be conversant with the law of copyright and it's implications. We are publishing a lot of our images onto the internet which leaves our photography wide open to to theft, copying and infringement of copyright

We protect our published images images by using a watermark built into the images. We also have our names and image creation dates attached to every image we create through  our camera's meta data which is embedded into all the files we produce

We have a few paragraphs built into into our website's terms and conditions stating our copyright policies

This is a link that demonstrates how I watermark/copyright my images using the software photoshop:

http://www.photoshopessentials.com/photo-effects/copyright/


I have researched the laws on copyright on the Internet,shown below are some of its guidelines,uses and limitations:

Introduction   Copyright law originated in the United Kingdom from a concept of common law; the Statute of Anne 1709. It became statutory with the passing of the Copyright Act 1911. The current act is the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. Rights covered The law gives the creators of literary, dramatic, musical, artistic works, sound recordings, broadcasts, films and typographical arrangement of published editions, rights to control the ways in which their material may be used. The rights cover; broadcast and public performance, copying, adapting, issuing, renting and lending copies to the public. In many cases, the creator will also have the right to be identified as the author and to object to distortions of his work. International conventions give protection in most countries, subject to national laws. Types of work protected Literary   song lyrics, manuscripts, manuals, computer programs, commercial documents, leaflets, newsletters & articles etc. Dramatic   plays, dance, etc. Musical   recordings and score. Artistic   photography, painting, sculptures, architecture, technical drawings/diagrams, maps, logos. Typographical arrangement of published editions magazines, periodicals, etc. Sound recording may be recordings of other copyright works, e.g. musical and literary. Film   video footage, films, broadcasts and cable programmes. The Copyright (Computer Programs) Regulations 1992 extended the rules covering literary works to include computer programs. When rights occur Copyright is an automatic right and arises whenever an individual or company creates a work. To qualify, a work should be regarded as original, and exhibit a degree of labour, skill or judgement. Interpretation is related to the independent creation rather than the idea behind the creation. For example, your idea for a book would not itself be protected, but the actual content of a book you write would be. In other words, someone else is still entitled to write their own book around the same idea, provided they do not directly copy or adapt yours to do so. Names, titles, short phrases and colours are not generally considered unique or substantial enough to be covered, but a creation, such as a logo, that combines these elements may be. In short, work that expresses an idea may be protected, but not the idea behind it. Who owns a piece of work Normally the individual or collective who authored the work will exclusively own the work and is referred to as the ‘first owner of copyright’ under the 1988 Copyright, Designs and Patents Act. However, if a work is produced as part of employment then the first owner will normally be the company that is the employer of the individual who created the work. Freelance or commissioned work will usually belong to the author of the work, unless there is an agreement to the contrary, (i.e. in a contract for service). Just like any other asset, copyright may be transferred or sold by the copyright owner to another party. Rights cannot be claimed for any part of a work which is a copy taken from a previous work. For example, in a piece of music featuring samples from a previous work, the copyright of the samples would still remain with the original author. Only the owner, or his exclusive licensee can bring proceedings in the courts. Duration of copyright The 1988 Copyright, Designs and Patents Act states the duration of copyright as; For literary, dramatic, musical or artistic works 70 years from the end of the calendar year in which the last remaining author of the work dies. If the author is unknown, copyright will last for 70 years from end of the calendar year in which the work was created, although if it is made available to the public during that time, (by publication, authorised performance, broadcast, exhibition, etc.), then the duration will be 70 years from the end of the year that the work was first made available. Sound Recordings and broadcasts 50 years from the end of the calendar year in which the work was created, or, if the work is released within that time: 50 years from the end of the calendar year in which the work was first released. Films   70 years from the end of the calendar year in which the last principal director, author or composer dies. If the work is of unknown authorship: 70 years from end of the calendar year of creation, or if made available to the public in that time, 70 years from the end of the year the film was first made available. Typographical arrangement of published editions 25 years from the end of the calendar year in which the work was first published. Broadcasts and cable programmes 50 years from the end of the calendar year in which the broadcast was made. Crown Copyright Crown copyright will exist in works made by an officer of the Crown, this includes items such as legislation and documents and reports produced by government bodies. Crown Copyright will last for a period of 125 years from the end of the calendar year in which the work was made. If the work was commercially published within 75 years of the end of the calendar year in which it was made, Crown copyright will last for 50 years from the end of the calendar year in which it was published. Parliamentary Copyright Parliamentary Copyright will apply to work that is made by or under the direction or control of the House of Commons or the House of Lords and will last until 50 years from the end of the calendar year in which the work was made. Restricted acts It is an offence to perform any of the following acts without the consent of the owner: Copy the work. Rent, lend or issue copies of the work to the public. Perform, broadcast or show the work in public. Adapt the work. The author of a work, or a director of a film may also have certain moral rights: The right to be identified as the author. Right to object to derogatory treatment. Acts that are allowed Fair dealing is a term used to describe acts which are permitted to a certain degree without infringing the work, these acts are: Private and research study purposes. Performance, copies or lending for educational purposes. Criticism and news reporting. Incidental inclusion. Copies and lending by librarians. Acts for the purposes of royal commissions, statutory enquiries, judicial proceedings and parliamentary purposes. Recording of broadcasts for the purposes of listening to or viewing at a more convenient time, this is known as time shifting. Producing a back up copy for personal use of a computer program. Playing sound recording for a non profit making organisation, club or society. (Profit making organisations and individuals should obtain a license from PRS for Music.)

Start up a photography business

This is the side of our photography where we lack a little knowledge. As you have worked in this industry as a freelance photographer for many years Steve perhaps you'll be willing to give us a business lecture one Saturday morning and share your knowledge with tips and tricks of setting up a photography business

I found this site on the Internet which has given me loads of business advice and information to help me to start up my own business

http://www.startaphotographybusiness.co.uk

Photographer's Insurance

When setting up a photography business one of the very first and most important things to put into place is photographer's insurance 

When setting up in business, there are a number of potentially unforeseen costs that can crop up. These will obviously vary depending on the nature of the business involved and the work that will be undertaken.However, if you are setting up a photography business you will almost certainly need some sort of business insurance.

Photographer Insurance

Business insurance comes in many different forms; again, the most suitable type for you will depend on your individual business model. However, when running a photography business there are a number of elements that should be considered from the outset.

In the first instance, basic photographer’s insurance is a must. You will need to at least insure your equipment; if this is lost, stolen or damaged, not only will you lose the value of the equipment itself, but your business will no longer be able to function. As such, equipment insurance is something that you must be prepared to pay for.

There are a number of companies offering specialist photographer insurance; reputable commercial insurers will either provide standard packages that will be suitable, or they will be able to tailor insurance to suit you.

You should remember that there will be limits on the value of equipment that they will insure; a standard sum is around £15,000. If you require insurance of a higher value you must be prepared to pay higher premiums. You should also note that some companies will not insure photographers that perform more dangerous disciplines such as underwater photography.

Public Liability Insurance

Aside from insuring your equipment, you may also require more specialised business insurance. If your business has any sort of public-facing element, you will require public liability insurance. This type of business insurance protects you from claims made by third parties. These parties might include customers, other members of the public, sub-contractors and so on.

A good policy will cover you against claims made by these parties for injury or damage to their property. There are a number of companies offering public liability insurance tailored specifically to photography businesses, many of which will cover you for claims made against you up to a value of £5 million.

Depending on the nature of your photography business, there may be a minimum sum for which you must be insured; this will depend on your individual circumstances.

Professional Indemnity Insurance

Photography businesses should also consider professional indemnity insurance. This type of policy will cover you against claims made against your business as a result of a professional dispute. Instances in which professional indemnity insurance might be useful include a portrait session, after which you accidentally erase the images from your storage.

Any compensation claim made against you, or the costs of additional studio time, should be covered by your professional indemnity business insurance. It is important to note, however, that this type of insurance normally comes with a number of significant exclusions; you will not, for example, be covered against loss or corruption of data unless this has occurred as a result of your negligence.

As has been mentioned, the types of insurance required by your photography business will depend on your individual business model. You may wish to seek advice from insurers, and you should certainly shop around to make sure that you are getting the best deal.

http://www.startaphotographybusiness.co.uk/insurance-requirements-photography-industry.html

How To Start & Run a Business in Photography...

How To Start & Run a Business in Photography...

Many people are passionate about photography. It is an art form full of possibilities, and there is a wealth of information available for those who wish to pursue it as a hobby. But what about those who want to take it further? StartAPhotographyBusiness was founded with those people in mind.

This is a link to a very useful website whch gives a wealth of information articles tips and tricks for the photographer wishing to startup in business

Canon Connect Emails

As a Canon user I receive regular monthly emails and news letters from the company. The emails have numerous links and articles on all aspects of photography which are very educational and this month was no exception.This month gives a profile of wedding photographer Jeff Ascough which outlines some of his tip's and techniques that he uses during a typical wedding shoot Canon Ambassadors: Jeff Ascough Canon Europe's Ambassador Programme is a partnership with some of the world's greatest photographers, who are masters of their craft and who share Canon’s desire to convey a passion for powerful pictures. Jeff Ascough’s approach to wedding photography was born out of a frustration with existing styles. He has clearly struck a chord; amongst many awards he was voted one of the 10 best wedding photographers in the world by American Photo magazine. How did you get started in wedding photography? I was introduced to photography by my father who had a photography business. I was asked by a portrait client in August 1989 if I would shoot her wedding which I did and on the back of that wedding I got asked to do others. How would you describe your style? I would describe my style as being more street or documentary than wedding photography. I have a passion for photojournalism and documentary work and I guess I just transfered my love of those disciplines to the wedding day. Who are your influences? My main influences have always come from the great street photographers and photojournalists; Henri Cartier-Bresson, Garry Winogrand, Don McCullin. I also love the work of Antonin Kratochvil, Alex Webb and James Nachtwey. Is there an image that couples always ask for? Not really. My clients understand that I don’t shoot to a formula and they leave pretty much everything in my hands. I always explain that in order to get the best from me, they have to let me do my own thing. How do you deal with clients who are looking for more traditional photos? I’m happy to do five or six traditional groups or posed images for my clients, but if they want any more than that I would usually refer them to another photographer that specialises in the more traditional style of work. However it is incredibly rare for my clients to ask for lots of traditional pictures and if they do it’s usually because of pressure from their families. © Jeff Ascough. Canon Ambassador Shot on EOS 5D Mark II; EF50mm f/1.2L USM, Exposure 1/1250, f/3.5, ISO 800 What is the background to this photo? This was a November wedding and was taken as the bride arrived at church with her bridesmaids. I wanted an image that was more graphic than a traditional arrival picture, so I looked for something to make the picture more dynamic and I found that in the window of the car she arrived in. Shooting the reflection added the graphic elements I wanted and I went for a semi-silhouette to add more drama to the sky. Why do you use black & white for many of your photos? I prefer black & white. It is what I grew up with and it is the medium for which I have the most respect. I use a lot of compositional elements in my pictures and these are always emphasised with black & white. I actually see the images in terms of lines and shapes rather than colours and tones, so I think it is quite natural for me to carry this forward into black & white. How many of your photos are planned? Nothing is ever planned. I will often see a potential shot and explore it and that may mean adjusting camera angles to emphasise different parts of the composition. I won’t ever go into a wedding with any preconceptions as to what I will shoot or how I will shoot it. If I did I would probably be left quite disappointed. © Jeff Ascough. Canon Ambassador Shot on EOS 5D Mark II; EF24-70mm f/2.8L USM, Exposure 1/2000, f/5.6, ISO 800 What was the story behind this shot? The bridesmaids were arriving at church and I wanted to show this, the car they used and the weather. I noticed this picture as the bridesmaid picked her dress up to walk on the wet road. It was the shoe that attracted me to the shot, and so it was just a question of including the car and I had my picture. How does the weather affect your work? It doesn’t. I am totally happy and at ease working in any conditions - I love the variety we get in the UK. It would be incredibly boring if every weekend I had exactly the same weather. Rain, snow, hail, sunshine, cloud - it doesn’t matter at all. How have increased ISO ranges in the cameras changed how you shoot? The cameras allow me to use slower lenses which has been a massive bonus for me. In the past I would use really fast apertures for a lot of my low light work, which was always really limiting - I don’t want to see every image shot wide open at f/1.4! I prefer to work around the f/2.8 – f/5.6 range to give me some depth in the picture. The latest cameras allow me to do this. Also the fast lenses are usually bigger and heavier, whereas I prefer to use something smaller and lighter to lessen the intrusion into the coverage. People react differently to small lenses. What equipment would you take for a wedding? Two main bodies (EOS 5D Mark III) and a spare which stays in the car (EOS 5D Mark II) and lenses which can overlap in case there is an issue with any one of them. So I use the EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM, EF 50mm f/1.2L USM, EF 85mm f/1.8 USM and EF 135mm f/2L USM. I also have a EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM as a spare and a couple of unusual optics like the EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM and TS-E 45mm f/2.8 tilt-and-shift which I may use depending on whether I get time to experiment which doesn’t happen often. Which lenses do you use most? I shoot 90% of the weddings with the EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM, EF 50mm f/1.2L USM, EF 85mm f/1.8 USM and they are what I have with me at all times. I really prefer to work with just the two bodies and those three lenses. I think that too many lens choices can lead to confusion, and you lose a lot of intuition. Fewer lenses just make everything clearer for me to the point where the lenses are secondary to the picture. I don’t even think about lens choice any more as it has become so natural for me to work this way. Have you been tempted to go into other photographic areas professionally? Not really. I love shooting landscapes and street photography, but realistically there isn’t enough work for me in these areas. I make a very good living from weddings and I see that as my profession. I also think that making it my main area of expertise has helped me stay focused as a photographer and business owner for the past 24 years. Learn more about Jeff Ascough’s work as a Canon Ambassador.